The public benefit of better health and well-being, education, social integration and democracy is the rationale for public support to the sports sector. Equal opportunities and open access to sporting activities can only be guaranteed through public involvement. While some sports organisations are economically self-sufficient, most of them remain dependent on public funding.
Public sector support can take many different forms. Typically, central government expenditure on sport is lower than the amounts coming from regional and local governments, most of which goes to finance local sports facilities. Lottery income is an important source of public support in many Member States and is distributed either through umbrella sport organisations or directly to sports clubs and associations.
At EU level, public funding of sport has been on the agenda of EU Sport Directors and Sport Ministers for a number of years. The Commission wishes to contribute to this debate in a constructive manner and in full respect of the underlying EU legal framework.
Public sector support can take many different forms. Typically, central government expenditure on sport is lower than the amounts coming from regional and local governments, most of which goes to finance local sports facilities. Lottery income is an important source of public support in many Member States and is distributed either through umbrella sport organisations or directly to sports clubs and associations.
At EU level, public funding of sport has been on the agenda of EU Sport Directors and Sport Ministers for a number of years. The Commission wishes to contribute to this debate in a constructive manner and in full respect of the underlying EU legal framework.
